New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a sweeping directive demanding that all Indian states immediately withdraw from service any sleeper-coach buses found to be in violation of mandatory safety standards. The order prompted by a spate of deadly bus-fire tragedies signals an urgent attempt to curb systemic negligence in public transport.
Underlining the severity of recent incidents, the NHRC has called on the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and state governments to enforce stringent compliance with the relevant safety norms: general bus-body standards under Automotive Industry Standard 052 (AIS-052), and sleeper-coach-specific regulations under Automotive Industry Standard 119 (AIS-119).
A technical investigation submitted by the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), Pune commissioned after a fatal fire in a Rajasthan sleeper coach in October 2025 identified grave structural defects. These included sealed-off driver compartments preventing early warning during emergencies, insufficient emergency exits, absence of fire-detection and suppression systems (FDSS), and use of non-compliant materials in bus bodies.
The NHRC described such lapses as tantamount to “criminal negligence.” Officials responsible for inspection, licensing and certification of buses have been called out for failing to uphold safety laws “in letter and spirit.”
Key directives issued by the Commission include immediate recall of all non-compliant sleeper buses; rectification or removal of prohibited structures (like driver compartments); mandatory installation of FDSS; and rigorous reassessment of bus-body builders’ accreditation. States have also been asked to ensure compensation and adequate support for victims’ families.
The urgency stems from recurring tragedies. In one recent accident near Jaisalmer–Jodhpur highway, a sleeper bus caught fire shortly after departure a tragedy the NHRC called “completely preventable.”
For long-distance travellers across India including those who rely on overnight sleeper coaches the Commission’s action could mark a turning point. The directive aims not only to remove dangerous vehicles from roads but also to enforce a cultural shift in transport safety, ensuring personal security becomes a non-negotiable standard, not an afterthought.